As I sit here today considering the absolute goodness of God- which is not proclaimed due to naivety or lack of hardship but in light of it- I am reminded that God works entirely IN purpose for each and every circumstance rather than working selectively purposeful. The God we serve intimately crafts every moment of our earthly life with intention and care; the challenge we are presented is whether we chose to submit in full surrender to His working or fight against His gentle guidance. A few months ago, I experienced a bout of TMJ which had lasted a few weeks. Perplexed by the sudden onset of it, I tried natural remedies to relieve it, but with no success. Personally, I prefer to treat myself as naturally as possible before I seek medical attention. The pain and tension had progressed to the point of also experiencing lockjaw, where I could only depress my lower jaw by an inch or so. By the end of the second week, I decided to log onto my health insurance portal to double check who my primary provider was so I could schedule an appointment to address what I was dealing with. To my surprise, my insurance plan was inactive as of three weeks prior; I was dropped my plan without any notice. I immediately reached out to my insurer and requested a letter of proof of termination in order to submit to my employer for the insurance my organization offered due to emergency circumstances. Thankfully, all was sorted out, and I gained coverage within 24 hours. Had I not had the incessant pain and inability to open my jaw, I would have continued to have been without coverage. Interestingly enough, my TMJ symptoms resolved the next day as well. Call this situation a coincidence, but I recognize it for what it truly was: God’s divine intervention. What looked like pain and potential symptoms of stress on the outside, was actually God intervening in a specific way to get my attention. God really does work all things together for good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). I am thankful today that God does nothing without purpose or intent, and I pray that my eyes would be attentive to the environment around me, my ears sensitive to every noise that brushes by, and my spirit receptive to any form of communication God seeks to relay to me. God is our shepherd who goes before, follows behind, and walks beside us; I am grateful He says, “this is the way, walk in it” (Isaiah 30:18).

Love,

His Daughter.